Although it cannot be defined as a “rare” title, it is indeed surprising that Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri is not seen more often on billboards. The opera is irresistibly comic – possibly even funnier than Il barbiere di Siviglia – with much the same musical beauty and overwhelming energy. The opera's subject involves Isabella, the "Italian girl" of the title, who arrives in Algiers on a mission to find her lover, Lindoro, who is a slave of the Bey, Mustafà.
This staging at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma is a revival of Maurizio Scaparro's 2000 production at the Teatro Massimo di Palermo. The luscious set (by Emanuele Luzzati, renewed by Paola Casillo) and costumes (by Santuzza Calì, renewed by Paola Tosti) give a literal reading of the story, with a painted background, arabesque walls and colourful Turkish costumes. Scaparro's direction (revived by Orlando Forioso) is equally classic, emphasising the opera's comic situations with only a few deviations from the libretto, like in the “Pappataci” scene, where everybody, including Mustafà, is wearing a chef’s outfit.
The performance started on uncertain ground, gaining strength through the first act. The Sinfonia, played by the Orchestra del Teatro dell’Opera conducted by Sesto Quatrini, was enjoyable but did not fully flow, perhaps due to the overpowering percussion. Lindoro’s cavatina “Languir per una bella”, full of treacherous swings, was bravely sung with clean and charming timbre by Dave Monaco; however, a slight strain in his top register and some fatigue towards the end of his aria did not go unnoticed. Monaco sang more confidently in his second act aria, “Oh come il cor di giubilo”.
The entrance of Mustafà, played by bass-baritone Paolo Bordogna, did not impress, his voice subdued. Bordogna was possibly already indisposed as, after about an hour, during the aria “Già d'insolito ardore nel petto”, he started to lose his voice, coughed and left the stage for good after an initial attempt to return. After 15 minutes it was announced that, due to Bordogna’s aphonia, Adolfo Corrado, singing the role in the second cast, would take over.
Corrado, clearly not expecting to perform that night, entered the stage with the costume a bit patched up and wearing glasses, which were absent in the following scene. He sustained his part very well and left an impression with his pleasant, resonant bass.
As Isabella, the Italian girl of the title, Chiara Amarù was delightful, mastering the stage with her self assured presence. She’s a mezzo-soprano here covering a contralto role, where the low notes are integral to depicting Isabella's cunning. Amarù has a rather natural lower register, or she can expertly darken her voice to make up for it. Her coloratura was beautiful and crystalline in the passage “Del mio colpo or sono sicura”. Georgian baritone Misha Kiria, as Taddeo, shone for his comical facial expressions as well as for his vocal presence.
All three singers from the “Fabbrica” young artist programme gave very good performances: Jessica Ricci as Elvira, her soprano cutting easily through ensembles; mezzo Maria Elena Pepi as Zulma and baritone Alejo Alvarez Castillo as Haly. The all male chorus directed by Ciro Visco was reliable as usual. A highlight was the concertato at the end of the first act, “Nella testa ho un campanello”.
L’italiana in Algeri doesn’t need to be overly charged with feminist or anti-macho interpretations to make it any closer to us; it goes straight to the heart and straight to the brain on a level that is purely artistic, in this case, in a comic key. In this regard, it is perhaps interesting to observe that the clichès about both Muslims and Italians are treated equally, put on the same level as a pure divertissement tool, with no apparent moralistic intention. Furthermore, the libretto playfully highlights the points of contact between the two cultures, as well as the differences.
The opera contains some unforgiving arias requiring excellent singers; on the other hand, the work is so light and enjoyable that one is more easily willing to forgive any slips when most of the elements are working, as was the case this evening.
